BB537: Biology from Molecule to Ecosystem (10 ECTS)

STADS: 04016501

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: steffen@biology.sdu.dk
Email: arotaru@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
lasse@biology.sdu.dk
valdemarsen@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None.

However, this course can only be taken if it:

1. is a constituent part of your programme 
2. is a specified recommendation for elective ECTS in your programme
3. is part of a specified transitional arrangement ('overgangsordning') for a course you have not yet passed

Academic preconditions:
None

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to give a general introduction to biological systems ranging from molecules and cells to organs, the intact organism and ecosystems. The course will focus on general terms and regulatory mechanisms within the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, ecology and evolution. The course forms the basis for further biological studies as well as for integration of biology with other disciplines.

In relation to the competence profile, the course explicitly focuses on:

• Providing knowledge about fundamental biological structures, processes and phenomena
• Providing skills to analyse fundamental biological problems
• Providing skills to critically evaluate scientific literature.

Expected learning outcome
The learning objective of the course is, that the student must obtain the ability to:

• describe fundamental biological systems and functions at different levels from the bio-molecular, cellular and organ physiological level to the ecological and evolutionary level
• express her/himself with professional precision.
• relate theoretical knowledge to practical experiments and observations. 
• recognize, name and explain the basic chemical structure of the functional groups of biological macromolecules.
• describe the structure and function of a cell and its central organelles.
• explain the flow of genetic information in a cell, including regulation of gene expression.
• describe cell division and coupling this to inheritance.
• explain basic genetic laws and create simple heredity calculations based on these.
• explain the homeostasis of selected components at organ and organism level in connection with the functions: respiration, water-salt balance, temperature regulation.
• explain the physiological function of selected organ systems including the heart, lungs, kidneys.
• explain the nervous system, including input and output for this.
• explain the most important hormones function in mammals.
• describe selected food webs and ecological cycles and explain the chemical basis of elemental turnover in these.
• explain the evolution of populations in ecosystems.
• explain the basic principles of evolution.
• integrate knowledge from biology and biochemistry.

Subject overview
The course includes the following topics:

• Biological macromolecules structure and function.
• Biomembranes and cell structure.
• Enzymes and biological redox processes.
• Metabolism: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, respiration and oxidative phosphorylation.
• Cell cycle, meiosis and mitosis and their control. Flow of information from gene to protein.
• Introduction to genetics.
• Physiological regulation of body temperature and water- and salt-balance.
• Exchange and transport of respiratory gases.
• Nervous systems; Sensory and motor mechanisms.
• The endocrine system and intracellular signalling.
• Biogeochemical cycles and food chains.
• Populations and ecosystems.
• Evolution - history and mechanisms.

Literature

• Campbell Biology.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None.

Assessment and marking:

1. Take home assignments. Internal marking by teacher, pass/fail. 2 ECTS
2. Project assignment. Internal marking, Danish 7-mark scale. 2 ECTS
3. Written 4-hour exam. External marking, Danish 7-mark scale. Allowed exam aids: Textbook, lecture notes, personal notes, and computer without internet access. 6 ECTS

The mode of exam at the re-examination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 50 hours
Skills training phase: 50 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 50 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 30 hours
Educational form
Activities during the study phase:

• Project assignment, carried out in study groups
• Hand-out assignments
• Preparation of short presentation in tutorials

The students are introduced to the course topics in the intro phase (weekly lectures) and further work on the topics during the training phase (weekly tutorials) under the guidance of an instructor. In the tutorials they will partly be working with assignments and themes that are prepared during the study phase hours.

Language
This course is taught in Danish or English, depending on the lecturer.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.